Apparatus for use in splicing together the ends of two strips

ABSTRACT

APPARATUS FOR SPLICING TOGETHER THE ENDS OF TWO STRIPS ARRANGED END-TO-END BY MEANS OF AN ADHESIVE TAB COMPRISES A BASE WHEREON ARE PROVIDED HOLDING MEANS FOR HOLDING THE STRIPS OVERLAPPED AND IN REGISTER WITH A CUTTING DEVICE MOUNTED ON A CARRIAGE SILDABLE IN THE BASE, A SWINGABLE APPLICATOR FOR RECEIVING THE ADHESIVE TAB WHILST ITS ADHESIVE IS PROTECTED BY PEELABLE BACKING STRIPS, PEELIING IT FROM THE BACKING STRIPS AND APPLYING HALF OF SAID TAB TO ONE SIDE OF THE ADJACENT ENDS OF THE TWO STRIPS, AND A MECHANISM FOR ENGAGING THE OTHER HALF OF THE TABE TO FOUL IT AGAIST THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID ENDS OF THE TWO STRIPS, A LID BEING PROVIDED ON THE BASE; THE ARRANGEMENT IS SUCH THAT SPLICING IS EFFECTED BY POSITIONING THE BACKING STRIPS OF THE TAB, ON RETAINER PEGS, FOR ENGAGEMENT OF THE TAB BY THE APPLICATOR, AND LOCATING THE STRIPS ON THE HOLDING MEANS, CLOSING THE LID TO CAUSE SEVERANCE OF SAID STRIPS AT THEIR OVERLAP AND FIRM ENGAGEMENT OF SAID BACKING STRIPS WITH RETAINER PEGS AND TO RELEASE SAID CARRIAGE FOR MOVEMENT TO AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION UPON OPENING OF SAID LID, IN WHICH INTERMEDIATE POSITION SAID CUTTING DEVICE IS WITHDRAWN AND A FLAT COUNTER SURFACE IS IN REGISTER WITH THE STRIPS TO BE JOINED, SWINGING SAID APPLICATOR FROM ITS TAB-RECEIVING POSITION TO A TAB-APPLYING POSITION THEREBY TO PEEL SAID TAB FROM SAID BACKING STRIPS AND APPLYING SAID HALF TO SAID STRIPS TO BE JOINED AND ALSO TO INITIATE FURTHER MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE TO OPERATE SAID MECHANISM FOR ENGAGING THE OTHER HALF OF SAID TAB TO FOLD IT AGAINST SAID OTHER SIDE OF SAID STRIPS.

Feb. 13, 1973 R. HANKE 3,716,444

APPARATUS FOR USE IN SPLICING TOGETHER THE ENDS OF TWO STRIPS Filed April 16. 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,7 18 1X4 29 2a 2739 40 57 52 lnventor;

RUDOLPH HANKE BY Hmwud 69am Cfiufiyuf-7mbn ATTORNEYS.

R. HANKE Feb. 13, 1973 APPARATUS FOR USE IN SPLICING TOGETHER THE ENDS OF TWO STRIPS Filed April 16. 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 0 55 3a 3 3b Inventor; RUDOLPH HANKE ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent U.S. Cl. 156-505 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for splicing together the ends of two strips arranged end-to-end by means of an adhesive tab comprises a base whereon are provided holding means for holding the strips overlapped and in register with a cutting device mounted on a carriage sildable in the base, a swingable applicator for receiving the adhesive tab Whilst its adhesive is protected by peelable backing strips, peeling it from the backing strips and applying half of said tab to one side of the adjacent ends of the two strips, and a mechanism for engaging the other half of the tab to fold it against the other side of said ends of the two strips, a lid being provided on the base; the arrangement is such that splicing is effected by positioning the backing strips of the tab, on retainer pegs, for engagement of the tab by the applicator, and locating the strips on the holding means, closing the lid to cause severance of said strips at their overlap and firm engagement of said backing strips with retainer pegs and to release said carriage for movement to an intermediate position upon opening of said lid, in which intermediate position said cutting device is withdrawn and a fiat counter surface is in register with the strips to be joined, swinging said applicator from its tab-receiving position to a tab-applying position thereby to peel said tab from said backing strips and applying said half to said strips to be joined and also to initiate further movement of said carriage to operate said mechanism for engaging the other half of said tab to fold it against said other side of said two strips.

This invention concerns apparatus for use in splicing together the ends of two strips (e.g. magnetic recording tapes, cinematograph film or the like) to be joined, arranged end-to-end adjacent disposition, by means of an adhesive tab which, for effecting the splicing, is folded to U-shaped cross-sectional configuration so as to provide a limb of the U adhered against each of the two opposite faces of said strips.

An object of the invention is to provide a form of apparatus as aforesaid which enables substantially all of the splicing operations to be effected mechanically with a minimum of handling of the strips and tab being neces sary. the apparatus providing for accurate severing of the strips, stripping of the tab from protective backing strips, application of one half of the tab to be joined and folding over of the other half of the tab against the other side of the strips all to be effected without need to touch the strips and tab, other than to load the latter into the apparatus.

With this object in view, the present invention provides apparatus for use in splicing together the ends of two strips to be joined, arranged in end-to-end adjacent disposition, by means of an adhesive tab which, for effecting the splicing, is folded to U-shaped cross-sectional configuration so as to provide a limb of the U adhered against each of the two opposite faces of said strips, said apparatus comprising:

(b) means for receiving and holding said strips in accurate alignment with their ends overlapping;

(c) a cutting device disposed in register with said means for receiving and holding said strips and adapted to sever said overlapping ends simultaneously to provide accurately registering abutting end edges on said strips;

(d) an applicator adapted to receive said adhesive tab and to apply approximately one half of said tab to said ends of said strips on one side thereof, in a disposition extending across said abutting end edges, and to press said tab onto said strips to become adhered thereto; and

(e) a mechanism adapted thereafter to engage the re maining non-adherent part of said tab, to fold the same against the other side of said strips and to press the same against said other side of side strips to be caused to adhere thereto.

Conveniently said cutting device comprises a knife mounted on a carriage which is movable longitudinally of said base member; and a pressure member which cooperates with said knife.

The pressure member may be mounted on a lid hingedly mounted on the base member.

Advantageously, said means for receiving and holding said strips comprises a row of spaced-apart upstanding pins engageable by respective perforations in said strips.

The carriage is advantageously loaded by a spring which urges it into a rear end position wherein said knife is out of register with said means for receiving and holding said strips. The apparatus then conveniently comprises a detent adapted, until released, to retain said carriage in a front end position wherein said knife is in register with said means for receiving and holding said strips.

If the strips to be joined are applied to the means for receiving and holding them with the upstanding pins engaging into respective ones of the perforations in the strips, and the lid is closed, the pressure member presses the strips against the knife. so that the strips are severed precisely relative to each other. Accordingly, upon opening the lid, it will be seen that they have accurately registering abutting end edges.

The apparatus of the invention is preferably further characterised by the provision, on the lid, of primary release pegs which, upon closing of the lid, release said detent to permit said carriage to move towards its said front end position. However, so that the carriage, when in its front end position with the lid closed, does not shift into the rear end position, it is advisable to provide, on the lid, an additional locking nose which engages behind the upper end of a handle on the carriage and blocks movement of the carriage despite the release of the detent. Only when the lid is opened, and the locking nose releases the handle of the carriage, can the latter be displaced by the action of the spring.

Conveniently a stop ledge is provided on the carriage to cooperate with said detent, upon release of said detent by said primary release pegs, to arrest said carriage in an intermediate position, between said front and rear end positions, in which a fiat counter surface on said carriage is in register with said means for receiving and holding said strips.

The applicator is preferably swingably mounted about an axis on said base for swinging movement between a tab-receiving position and a tab-applying position, said applicator comprising a resilient pressure pad through which slidingly project a plurality of yieldingly-mounted teeth for engagement with apertures in said tab, the distance between said axis and the remote edges of said teeth being equal to the distance between said axis and the remote edges of said upstanding pins of said means for receiving and holding said strips. The teeth are conveniently loaded to protrude through the pressure pad,

L" manna A n knnl' nF rmsilinntln finviisln mots-rial The applicator preferably carries secondary release pegs which are longer than said primary release pegs and serve, upon said applicator being swung to its tab-applying position, to release said carriage from its said intermediate position. Accordingly, upon movement of the applicator to its tab-applying position, the carriage is released from its intermediate position and is therefore shifted, by the action of the spring, into its rear end position. If now, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, there is rotatably mounted, on the carriage, a roller whose periphery projects slightly above the upper surface of the base, and which serves, upon movement of the carriage into the rear end position, to engage the non-adhered or free half of the tab, which it entrains and folds beneath the strips and pressed securely against the underside of the strip being joined.

Retainer pegs are preferably provided, on the base, for engaging with corresponding apertures in peelable backing strips to which said tab is initially adhered thereby to hold said tab, relative to said applicator, that movement of said applicator from its said tab-receiving position towards its said tab-applying position initially causes engagement of said teeth of said applicator into said openings in said tab, and thereafter causes said tab to be stripped from said backing strips.

The backing strips may conveniently each be adhered to a respective half of the tab, providing an adherent panel overlying and connected to the adhesive on said half and folded back at the centre line of the tab to provide a handling panel which overhangs the respective edge of the tab.

In the tab-receiving position of the applicator, the teeth thereof are conveniently disposed between said retainer pegs and terminate at a level below the level of the upper ends of said retainer pegs.

Bosses are preferably provided on the lid in positions such that said upper ends of said retainer pegs enter into respective ones of said bosses in the closed position of said lid.

The upper ends of the retainer pegs are preferably tapered, and such retainer pegs are conveniently an interference fit into the respective ones of said apertures in said backing strips.

The arrangement of the bosses is preferably such that they serve, by engagement with said backing strips, to press said backing strip along said retainer pegs. Accordingly, with such an arrangement, the backing strips are pressed securely onto the retainer pegs and remain on the latter when the applicator is swung out of its tab-receiving position and carries the tab to the tab-applying position.

The apparatus of the invention makes it possible to splice strips together substantially automatically and with the minimum of handling of the strips and the splicing tab, the splicing being elfecte-d by positioning the backing strips onto the retainer pegs, for engagement of the tab by the applicator, and locating the strips to be joined, on the upstanding pins, closing the lid to cause severance of the strips at their overlap and firm engagement of the backing strips with the retainer pegs and to release the carriage for movement to the intermediate position upon opening of the lid, in which intermediate position, the cutting device is withdrawn and a fiat counter surface is in register with the strips to be joined, swinging the applicator from the tabreceiving position to the tab-applying position thereby to peel the tab from its backing strips and applying half of the tab to the strips to be joined and also to initiate further movement of the carriage to operate the mechanism for engaging the other half of the tab to fold it against and cause it to adhere to the other side of the two strips to be joined.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating, diagrammatically, a form of spliced joint between two strips, such as is formed using the apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic cross-section taken on the line 1111 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the invention, this being shown with its lid open, its carriage in its front end position, and its applicator in its tab-receiving position;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side elevation taken on the line IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the carriage in its intermediate position and the applicator in a position approximately midway between its tabreceiving position and its tab-applying position;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIGS. 4 and 5, but showing the carriage in its rear end position and the applicator in its tab-applying position;

FIG. 7 shows a diagrammatic edge view and a topplan view of a splicing element, composed of an adhesive tab with handling strips adhered thereto, suitable for use with the apparatus of the invention, this figure being somewhat smaller scale than FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 8 is a detached cross-section through the severing device of the apparatus of FIGS. 3 to 6;

FIG. 9 is a transverse cross-section through the carriage of the apparatus of FIGS. 3 to 6 in register with the severing device thereof; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged diagrammatic longitudinal crosssection through part of the carriage of the apparatus of FIGS. 3 to 6, illustrating how that part of the tab not applied to the strips by the applicator is folded beneath said strips.

The apparatus 16 shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 of the drawings is for splicing together two strips 1, 2 (FIG. I) made, for example, of plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride, or polyester, and being, for example, perforate recording tapes or cinematograph films, by means of a self-sealing tab 3 made of transparent foil, in such a way that the self-sealing tab is folded to a. U-shaped configuration and receives the strips 1, 2 in end-to-end adjacent disposition between the legs 4, 5.

As initially produced, the tab 3 is provided with two handling strips 7 and 8 which each include a respective adherent panel 9, 10 adhering to a respective half of the tab up to its transverse centre line R, and is folded back at said centre line R to provide a respective handling panel which (as can be seen from FIG. 7) overhangs the respective end edge of the tab 3 and which has a respective aperture 12, 13 therein.

The aperture 12 is fashioned as an oblong hole arranged symmetrically to longitudinal centre line M of the tab 3 and extending transversely to said centre line M, whilst the aperture 13 is designed as a round hole arranged to one side of the centre line M.

In register with the transverse centre line R, both the backing strips 7, 8 and the self-sealing tab 3 have apertures 11.

To produce the spliced joint shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tab 3 has to be removed from splicing element 6 which consists of said tab 3 and the handling strips 7, 8. Care must also be taken to see that the ends of the strips 1, 2 are contiguous and abut at right angles to their longitudinal direction in such a way that the spacing of perforations 14, 15 provided along said strips at the transition from the one strip to the other is maintained constant.

The illustrated apparatus 16 for splicing the strips 1, 2 comprises a rectangular base member 17 having a flat undersurface 18 for resting on a horizontal support surface and a work-top l9 extending-parallel to the surface 18, which top 19 merges, in the rear portion of the base member 17, into a planar platform 20. Located in the base member 17 is a carriage 21 which can be displaced in the direction of and contrary to the direction of arrow P (FIG. 4). For this purpose, there are provided, on the carriage 21 lateral ledges 22 and 23 (FIG. 9), which are guided for sliding motion in grooves 24 and 25 in the base member 17. The carriage 21 is subject to the action of a tension spring 24 (FIG. 4), which endeavours to shift it, in the direction opposed to the arrow '1, into a rear end position, in which said carriage 21 occupies the position shown in FIG. 6. On the front end of the carriage 21 is a handle 25 by means of which the carriage 21 can be displaced manually from its rear end position shown in FIG. 6 and into its front end position which is shown in FIG. 3. The carriage 21 carries, at its end towards the platform 20, severing device in the form of a cutting knife 26 which extends parallel to the direction of displacement P and which is arranged on longitudinal centre line L or the carriage 21. Cutting edge 26 of the knife 26 projects upwards above the surface of the working table 19 by an amount T (FIG. 8) which is somewhat greater than twice the thickness of the strips 1, 2.

When the carriage 21 is drawn into its front end position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a displaceable bar-like detent 27, loaded by a spring 28, forcing it upwards, engages into a depression 29 serving as a detent groove, and secures the carriage 21 in the front end position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Situated on the detent 27 are two plungers 30 which are slidably accommodated in holes 31 and 32 in the working table 19.

At the rearward end of the apparatus, a lid 33 is mounted on the base member 17 for swinging motion about a horizontal axis, by means of hinges 34, 35. Fastened to the lid 33 are two primary release pegs 36, 37 which, upon closing of the lid 33, enter the holes 31 and 32 and thereby displace the plungers 30, and the detent 27 connected thereto, in the direction of arrow V (FIG. 4), so that detent 27 is disengaged from the depression 29.

As long as the lid 33 is closed, the carriage 21 cannot, nevertheless, move in the direction contrary to the arrow P, because situated on the lid 33 there is, additionally, a retainer nose 38 which engages behind upper end 25 of the handle 25, as is represented in broken lines in FIG. 4. Only when the lid 33 is raised and the retaining nose 38 thereof releases the upper end 25 of the handle 25 can the carriage 21, which is initially still free from the locking action of the detent 27, because the primary release pegs 36, 37 hold the plungers 30 still sufficiently displaced in the direction of the arrow V, more in the direction contrary to the arrow P. When this occurs, a stop ledge 39 on the carriage 21 moves into contact with the right-hand edge of the detent 27, so that the carriage 21 is arrested in its intermediate position shown in FIG. 5. The carriage 21 cannot, therefore, move further in the direction opposed to the arrow P, because the primary release pegs 36 and 37 do not force the detent .27 so far in the direction of the arrow V (FIG. 4) that upper edge 41 of the detent 27 reaches a level lower than under edge 40 of the carriage 21.

Upstanding pins 42, 43 are situated on the work-top 19 as means for receiving and holding the strips 1, 2 on the work-top 19 directly adjacent to the platform 20 with such pins 42, 43 fitting exactly into corresponding ones of the perforations 14, 15 of the strips 1, 2 in accurate alignment with their ends overlapping. When the carriage 21 occupies its front end position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the cutting knife 26 is disposed underneath the ends of the tapes 1, 2 positioned on the pins 42, 43. Upon closing of the lid 33, the ends of the tapes 1, 2 are pressed, by a pressure member 44 situated on the lid 33, firmly against the cutting blade 26, so that the overlapping ends of the strips 1, 2 are severed simultaneously and upon opening of the lid 33, the strips 1, 2 are found to have accurately registering abutting edges.

Also mounted for swinging motion on the base member 17 is an applicator 45 of U-shaped configuration (FIG. 5) providing limbs or legs 46 and 47 which are connected to the base member 17 at pivot axes 48 and 49. A handle 50 is provided on the applicator 45 is (as can be seen from FIGS. 4, 5 and 6) of channel-shaped configuration, accommodating a resiliently flexible block 52 held in place by a cover member bridging the limbs of the channel. Web 55 of the crosspiece 51 has therethrough a plurality of openings through which project respective teeth 54 formed integrally with a bridge bar 53 which abuts against the block 52. It will be understood that the teeth 54 can be pressed inwardly of the crosspiece 51 and the block 52 yields to permit this. It will be appreciated, also, that the teeth 54 project through a resilient pressure pad 56 provided against the web 55 of the crosspiece S1. The spacing of the teeth 54 corresponds to the spacing of the apertures 11 in the tab 3, and also to the spacing of the perforations 14, 15 in the strips 1, 2, and such teeth 54 are so shaped that they can engage precisely into the apertures 11 in the tab.

Also secured to the base member 17 are upwardly projecting retainer pegs 57, 58 (FIG. 3). The retainer peg 57 has an oval or elliptical cross-section, whilst the peg 58 is circular in section. The spacings S (FIG. 4) between the pegs 58, 59 corresponds to the spacing S (FIG. 7) between the apertures 12 and 13 in the tab 3. The upper free ends 57 58 of the pegs 5'7, 58 project slightly above the level of the work-top 19. The peg 57 is arranged symmetrically relative to longitudinal centre line L (FIG. 3) of the apparatus 16, or of the carriage 21, whilst the peg 58 is offset laterally relative to this longitudinal centre line. In cross-section, the pegs 57 and 58 are shaped in such a way that they enter with an interference fit into the apertures 12 and 13 in the backing strips 7, 8, when a splicing element 6 comprising the tab 3 with its backing strips 7, 8 is positioned on the pegs 57, 58 for stripping the adhesive tab 3 from the backing strips 7, 8. For this purpose, the splicing element 6 is fitted, in a position which is rotated through in relation to that of FIG. 7, by hand, onto the conical upper ends 57 and 58 of the pegs 57 and 58. In this position, the teeth 54 of the applicator 45 engage into the apertures 11 in the tab 3. Then, when the lid 33 is closed, the bosses 59, 60 fixed securely to the lid 33 are engaged over the upper ends 57 58 of the pegs 57, 58, so that said upper end project into the interiors of the bosses 59, 60. The leading ends of the latter accordingly force the backing strips 7, 8 deeper onto the pegs 57, 58, so that such strips 7, 8 are held securely on the pegs. Now if the lid 33 is opened and the applicator 45 is swung, by means of the handle 50, in the direction of the arrow Z (FIG. 4) about the axes 48, 49, the tab 3, which is positioned with its non-adhesive side against the pressure pad 56, is carried with the applicator 45 and is peeled from the backing strips 7, 8, which are left on their pegs 5'7, 58, as shown in FIG. 5.

The distance E of the teeth 54 from the axes 48, 49 (FIG. 5) corresponds with the distance E of the upstanding pins 42, 43 from the axes 48, 49. Consequently, upon the applicator 45 being swung through 180 into its position shown in FIG. 6, the tab 3 comes to rest with the adhesive side against the previously cut ends of the strips 1, 2 to be joined. In this position, outer edge 61 (FIG. 5) of the tab 3 is flush, fitting exactly with outer edge 62 (FIG. 3) of the strips 1, 2 so that one half of the tab 3, up to its transverse centre line R, is adhered to the strips 1, 2 and the other half remains projecting from the strips 1, 2. Since the carriage 21, after severance of the strips 1, 2, occupies the intermediate position shown in FIG. 5, block 63 on the carriage 21 is positioned with its upper surface 64 (which is a fiat counter surface for cooperation with the pressure pad 56 of the applicator 45) directly beneath the adjacent ends of the strips 1, 2 to be joined, to enable the tab 3 to be pressed firmly onto the strips 1, 2. The counter surface 64 provided by the block 63 lies in the same plane as the surface of the work-top 19.

If, after the application of one half of the tab 3 onto the strips 1, 2, a slight pressure is exerted on the applicator 45, in the direction of the arrow Y, by means of the handle 50, the teeth 54 yield in the direction opposite to the arrow Y, this being permitted by the bridge bar 53 compressing the block 52. Moreover, that portion of the plate 56 which is above the centre line W in FIG. 5 is pressed firmly onto that portion of the tab 3 which lies on the strips 1, 2. Consequently, that half of the adhesive tab 3, which is designated by numeral 311 in FIG. is pressed firmly onto the strips 1, 2, to become firmly adhered thereto.

Upon the application of such slight pressure of the plate 56, in the direction of the arrow Y, that portion 311 (FIG. 10) of the adhesive tab 3 which projects away from the strips 1, 2 in the direction of the pegs 57, 58 is forced downwards somewhat by the pressure plate 56 (FIG. 10), so that its adhesive side engages against the counter surface 64 of the block 63 and adheres slightiy thereto.

Provided on the limb 46 of the applicator 45, to one side of the longitudinal centre line L, is an upwardly projecting secondary release peg 65 and on the limb 47 there is a similar peg 66, these two secondary release pegs 65 and 66 being symmetrically disposed relative to the centre line L. The distance 1 of the pegs 6-5, 66 from the axes 48, 49 corresponds with the distance e of the axes 48, 49 from the holes 31, 32. Accordingly, when the applicator is swung out of its position shown in FIGS. 3, 4 in the direction of the arrow Z, so that the tab 3 (FIG. 5) is transferred onto the strips 1, 2 (FIG. 10), the secondary release pegs 65, 66 enter into the holes 31, 32. They are so long in dimension that they force the detent 27 out of the FIG. 5 position downwards to a level below the under edge 4-0, so that the carriage 21 is released again. Consequently the carriage 21 is shifted, by the spring 24 into its rear end position illustrated in FIG. 6. Upon the initial shifting of the carriage 21, the portion 3b of the tab 3 is initially drawn forward by the block 63 (FIG. 10), so that it is caused to bend about rear edge 67 of the strips 1, 2. Upon further shifting of the carriage 21 in the direction of the arrow D, the block 63 separates itself from the portion 3b of the tab 3, and a roller 68, which is mounted rotatably on the carriage 21 and whose outer covering 68 has a periphery which projects slightly above the surface of the work-top 10, runs beneath the tab portion 3b, on its non-adhesive side, and causes it to bend completely about the edge 67 of the strips 1, 2 and presses it upwards against the strips 1, 2. Since, when this occurs, the pressure pad 56 is pressing firmly against the tab portion 3a adhered to the upper side of the strips 1, 2, the adhesive side of the portion 3b of the tab 3 is pressed firmly against the strips 1, 2, so that the firm splicing thereof, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is established.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the apparatus of the invention provides for the mechanical production of a spliced joint as shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 1 and 2, this involving merely the insertion of the strips 1, 2 as shown in FIG. 3 and positioning of the splicing element 6 on the retainer pegs 57, 58, closing of the lid 33 and subsequent opening of the same, moving the carriage 21 into the front end working position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and swinging of the applicator 45 from the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 into the position illustrated in FIG. 6. Actual handling of the strips 1, 2 and the splicing element 6 occurs, therefore, only at the beginning of the splicing operation, in the positioning thereof in the apparatus.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for use in splicing together the adjacent ends of to-be-joined perforated strips by means of a cooperant adhesive splicing tab foldable to U-shaped cross-sectional configuration with one limb of the U adhered against each of the opposite faces of each of the adjacent to-be-joined strips the combination of:

(a) a base;

(b) pin means engageable by respective perforations in the strips for receiving and holding the strips in aligned end overlapping relationship;

(c) a pressure-operated cutting knife disposed in register with the receiving and holding means for severing the overlapping strip ends and providing accurately registering abutting strip end edges;

(d) an applicator for applying approximately one half of the tab to each of the ends of the strips on one of the sides thereof in a disposition extending across the abutting end edges and for pressing the tab onto the strips in adhering relation;

(e) a mechanism for engaging the remaining non-adherent part of the tab and folding same against the other side of the strips and pressing the same against the other side of the strips to be caused to adhere thereto;

(f) a carriage mounting the cutting knife and being loaded by a spring for urging the carriage into a rear end position wherein the cutting knife is out of register with the receiving and holding means;

(g) a detent for retaining until released the carriage in a front end position with the cutting knife in register with the receiving and holding means;

(h) a lid hingedly mounted on the base and mounting a means for pressurizing the cutting knife;

(i) release pegs for releasing the detent upon closing of the lid to permit the carriage to move toward its front end position;

(j) a stop ledge on the carriage for cooperating with the detent upon release of the detent by the release pegs for arresting the carriage in an intermediate position between the front and rear end positions in which a flat counter surface on the carriage is in register with the receiving and holding means;

(kl a handle on the carriage cooperative in the front end position with a retainer nose on the lid whereby the retainer nose engages the handle to retain the carriage in its forward and position both when the lid is fully closed and when the lid is slightly open.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 with the applicator being swingably mounted about an axis on the base for swinging movement between tab-receiving and tab-applying positions, the applicator including a resilient pressure pad through which slidingly project a plurality of yieldingly-mounted teeth for engagement with apertures in the tab, the distance between the axis and the remote edges of the teeth being equal to the distance between the axis and the remote edges of the pins of the receiving and holding means.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the teeth are loaded to protrude through the pressure pad by a block of resilient material.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 characterized by the provision, on the carriage, of a roller whose periphery projects slightly above the upper surface of the base and which serves, upon movement of the carriage into its rear end position, to fold beneath the strips that part of the tab which is not applied to the strips by the applicator.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein the applicator carries secondary release pegs which are longer than the said release pegs and serve, upon the applicator being swung to its tab-applying position, to release the carriage from its said intermediate position.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein retainer pegs are provided, on the base, for engaging with corresponding apertures in peelable backing strips to which the tab is initially adhered thereby to hold the tab, relative to the applicator, that movement of the applicator from its tab-receiving position towards its tab-applying position initially causes engagement of the teeth of the applicator into the openings in the tab, and thereafter causes the tab to be stripped from the backing strips.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein, in the tab-receiving position of the applicator, the teeth of the applicator are disposed between the retainer pegs and terminate at a level below the level of the upper ends of the retainer pegs.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein bosses are provided on the lid in positions such that the upper ends of the retainer pegs enter into respective ones of the bosses in the closed position of the lid.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein the upper ends of the retainer pegs are tapered.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the retainer pegs are an interference fit into the respective ones of the apertures in the backing strips.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the 10 bosses serve, by engagement with the backing strips, to press the backing strips along the retainer pegs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,290,201 12/1966 Jorgensen 156-505 3,434,907 3/1969 Philippi et al. 156-505 3,318,754 5/1967 Philippi 156505 10 PHILIP DIER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. l56510, 159 

